BUDIASOVICH AND RICK HANESTAD WIN TWIN PORTS TWIN 25’S
By Jerry O’Brien
7-31-15AMSOIL Speedway finished off the month of July with the Twin Ports Twin25’s Late Model special. To top it off, the first of two 25 lap main events was aOneMain Financial WISSOTA PolyDome Dirt Track Series Challenge Series race.It was the third Challenge Series race over the weekend and drew the largestcontingent with 35 cars in attendance. Also on the card were the WISSOTAMidwest Modifieds and Pure Stocks.Four heat races and a pair of B Features qualified racers for the first of two 24car features along with a provisional starter to make the field of 25. TravisBudisalovich, Nate Beyenhof, John Kaanta and Rick Hanestad won the heats andthe B Features went to Jeff Wildung and Darrell Nelson.The first 25 lap feature flagged off with Jake Redetzke to the lead over NateBeyenhof Rick Hanestad, Steve Laursen and Travis Budisalovich. The cautionflag flew as Jason Schill attempted to exit the track but was unable to make it offthe surface. The restart with two laps in went badly as several cars near the back ofthe pack were caught up in a wreck. Involved were Jay Kintner, Series point leaderJeff Provinzino, Robbie Cooper, Pat Doar and Tim McMann. The restart sawRedetzke continue with the lead over Hanestad, Fegers, and Budisalovich andLaursen. Budisalovich put on a charge into second and drove by Redetzke to thefront. The front three Budisalovich, Redetzke and Hanestad maintained thosepositions while tenth starting Jesse Glenz, a rookie in the Late Models moved upto contest for position. No further caution flags showed and the top five stabilizedat Budisalovich, Redetzke, Hanestad, Glenz and Fegers. Laursen, Chad MahderKaanta, Byenhof and Dave Esse finished in the top ten. Redetzke turned the QuikTrip Quick Lap at 18.187 seconds. It was Budiaslovich’s second feature win of theseason at the speedway.The winner of the first 25 lap feature then must draw for his starting spot in thesecond main event and Budiisalovich drew the number 14 meaning he would startthe second feature outside of the seventh row.Lance Matthees drew the pole for the second 25 lap event with BuddyHanestad to his outside. The veteran wasted little time bolting to the lead as rickHanestad raced into second past Jeff Massingill and Jeff Wildung while Dave Esseclung to fifth. The front five didn’t change until about four laps in when ChadMahder slipped past Esse into fifth. Esse fell back into the clutches of JohnKaanta. Meanwhile Budisalovich got up on the wheel and captured eighth as partof a spirited drive toward the front. Wildung, who had been slipping back,gathered it up, found a groove that worked and began to work his way forwardgetting into third as Budiaslovich landing in fourth. Wildung then got past Mahderinto second, then on lap 12 passed Matthees for the lead. Matthees fell into a battlewith Mahder and Budiaslovich who, by this time had passed 14 cars to take fourth.The only caution flag of the event was for Glenz who stalled on the front stretchwith 14 laps remaining. The restart was a good one for Wildung as it was forHanestad who was rebounding from his mid race slide and was now in second andclosing on Wildung. They traded the lead for a couple of laps before Hanestadtook over for good and went on for the win. Wildung finished second andBudisalovich came up two positions short of winning both features, a feat no onehas been able to pull off in the 11 year history of the event. Mahder was fourth andKaanta finished in the top five. Redetzke, Darrell Nelson, Glenz, Massingill andProvinzino rounded out the top ten. Nelson came from 19th after having the rearquarter panel ripped off the #44 in the first event. Early leader Matthees fell all the13th spot at the finish.Twin Feature #2Hanestad; Wildung; Budisalovich; Mahder; Kaanta; Redetzke; Nelson; Glenz;Massingill; Provinzino; M. Fegers; Esse; Matthees; Laursen; B. Hanestad;Beyerhof; Balcaen DNF: Wohlers; Doar; Kintner; Shaw; McMann DNS: Cooper;Terry Lillo; SchillIn other action Skeeter Estey won his fourth feature of the season at thespeedway as he used the second early caution flag to his advantage as he grabbedthe lead from point leader Nick Daronco around lap six and never looked back.The ever present Deven VanHouse made his way to second while Shane Howellsneaked his way forward from his lonesome start by himself in row 12 to finishthird over Daronco and Mack Estey who had been sent to the back after a incidentwith Daronco just before the mid point of the 20 lap race.Dustin Follett completed another WISSOTA Pure Stock sweep for his 13thfeature win and fifth at the Speedway this season. Justin Weinberger led all but thelast two feet of the 15 lap main event as Follett tracked him down on the finalcouple of laps for the win. Three number 11’s finished second through forth,Weinberger, Dylan Shelton and Tucker Quinn with defending track championRyan Savoy in fifth.Results Twin Ports Twin 25’s and OneMain Financial Challenge Series (35 cars)1st 25 lap Feature (counted as Challenge Series race)Travis Budiaslovich Minneapolis; Jake Redetzke Eau Claire; Rick hanestadBoyceville; Jesse Glenz Cadott, WI; Marshall Fegers Savage, MN; Steve LaursenCumberland; Chad Mahder Eau Claire; John Kaanta Elk Mound; Nate BeyerhofRock Rapids, IA; Dave Esse Cloquet; Jeff Wildung Nassau, MN; Jeff MassingillKeewatin; Buddy Hanestad Boyceville; Lance Matthees Winona, MN; Pat DoarNew Richmond; Jeff Provinzino Hibbing; Mike Balcaen Winnepeg, MB; ZachWohlers Kelly Lake DNF: Darrell Nelson Hermantown; Tim McMann Rice Lake,MN; Jay Kintner Hibbing; Don Shaw Ham Lake, MN; Robbie Cooper SouthRange; Terry Lillo Duluth Jason Schill Centuria, WIB Feature #1: Wildung; Massingill; Wohlers; John Toppozini Thunder Bay; ToddGehl Solon Springs; Kevin Carlson Hermantown; Gregg Hill Eveleth DNS: HarryHanson Eveleth; David Smith Edmonton ABB Feature #2: Nelson; Matthees; Provinzino; Doar; Aaron Lillo Proctor; GeorgeLedin Grand Rapids; Trevor Wilson Superior DNF: Tim Lillo SuperiorHeat 1: Budiaslovich; Laursen; Cooper; B. Hanestad; Balcaen; Smith; Toppozini;Wilson DNF: HansonHeat 2: Beyenhof; Kintner; McMann; Terry Lillo; Massingill; Schill; Gehl; HillDNF: Tim LilloHeat 3: Kaanta; M. Fegers; Esse; Shaw; Matthees; Nelson; A. Lillo; Wohlers;CarlsonHeat 4; Hanestad; Redetzke; Mahder; Glenz; Wildung; Doar; Provinzino; LedinWISSOTA Midwest ModifiedFeature (20 laps)Skeeter Estey Kelly Lake; Deven VanHouse; Shane Howell Buffalo, MN; NickDaronco Mountain Iron, MN; Kyle Matuska North Branch, MN; Mack EsteyHibbing; Dan Kingsley Superior; David Simpson Thunder Bay; Cole ChernoskyThunder Bay; David Kivi Nolalu, ON; Tyler Vernon Ashland; Andrew InmanHermantown; Jamie Smart Kakabeka Falls, ON; Jason Goldfine Superior; GunnerPeterson Drummond DNF: Dale Suomala, Jr Hermantown; Brandon Copp Brule;Josh Heavirland Cloquet; Mike Jacques Thunder bay; Craig Lofdahl Duluth;Shane Kisling Park Falls; Rob Ranttalo Thunder Bay; Don Craig Thunder BayHeat 1: M. Estey; Simpson; Chernosky; Vernon; Kivi; Copp; Goldfine; PetersonHeat 2: S. Estey; Matuska; Kisling; Lofdahl; Smart; Inman; Ranttalo; JacquesHeat 3: Daronco; VanHouse; Jingsley; Suomala, Jr; Craig DNF: heavirland;HowellPure StocksFeature (15 laps)Dustin Follett Cloquet; Justin Weinberger Park Falls; Dylan Shelton Wrenshall;Ryan Savoy Superior; Tucker Quinn Ladysmith; Annika Hammitt Cloquett;Shaina Rapp Saginaw; Justin Madsen Foxboro; Kyle Copp Brule; John SmithFoxboro DNF: Andy Poll Two Harbors; Chad Carlson Superior; Carter NelsonHermantown; Andrew Hanson Iron RiverHeat 1; Savoy; Weinberger; Quinn; Rapp; Madsen; Copp DNF: HansonHeat 2: Follett; Shelton; A. Hammitt; Poll; Smith; Nelson; Carlson